Himal Press 
POKHARA: The Gandaki Province Government has decided to issue a public appeal for the return of weapons looted from security personnel during the Gen Z protest last week.
A meeting of the Gandaki Province Security Coordination Committee, chaired by Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey on Tuesday, decided to take legal action, though not returning the weapon under relevant criminal charges.
Similarly, it instructed all district security committees and subordinate security agencies to promptly identify individuals involved in arson, vandalism, looting, and theft of public and private property, and to pursue legal proceedings against them.
During the protests, 773 inmates and detainees had escaped from Pokhara. Of them, only 300 have so far returned to prison. Protesters had also forced police officers and detainees out of the District Police Office, Kaski, before setting the premises on fire. They also looted different weapons from various security agencies and personnel.
The meeting also directed all district disaster management committees and security agencies to remain alert to potential monsoon-related disasters, to prepare and respond in advance, and to integrate these measures into festival-season security plans to ensure effective implementation.
During the meeting, representatives of security agencies briefed the meeting on the extraordinary circumstances of September 8 and 9 caused by the Gen Z protests, and their impact on peace and security across the province.
